This past weekend Concord played host to the first major pond hockey tournament of the season. The 1883 Black Ice Pond Hockey Championship is in its fourth year. But it's said that the nation's first "organized" pond hockey game was played at St. Paul's School in Concord--back in 1883. NHPR's Amanda Loder stopped by the event at White Park, and sends us this audio postcard.

This past Saturday, I visited Durham New Hampshire for the 700 family yard sale, an annual fundraising event for the St.Thomas More Parish that’s been held every year for more than three decades. When I arrived, parking was scarce – and a crowd of a hundred people or so had already gathered to get a sneak-peek at the goods laid across dozens of tables. I joined the growing throng – and produced this audio postcard.

Sometimes, even thoughtful planning for the end of one's life can't foresee all the possible outcomes.

That was certainly the case for Reverend Canon Randy Dales of Wolfeboro, and his father-in-law. Canon Dales is a vocal advocate for the use of advance directives to maintain dignity in death, with his position formed by four decades of ministry and 30 years of work in a hospice he co-founded.

We continue our series on advance directives in New Hampshire with this audio postcard.

August is the month when towns all over New Hampshire hold their Old Home Day festivals, featuring fair food, games, entertainment, and kid-friendly events. Saturday was the big day for Pembroke, south of Concord.

Pat Fowler is a life-long resident. She chairs the Old Home Day Parade committee. “At the end of the day, when I’m sitting back and watching all the families, watching the fireworks and the music’s on Main Stage, you just get that good feeling of family and friendship and community," Fowler says. "I think that’s what keeps me coming back.”

Bog Pond is tucked away off of Route 4a in Andover. The area is a wetland and peat bog habitat. And this past Monday, UNH wildlife program assistant, Emma Carcagno led a tour of the area. The event is part of a summer-long project called "Taking Action for Wildlife" sponsored by the Andover Conservation Commission.

NHPR's Abby Kessler went on the wetland walk and filed this audio postcard.

On July 14th, Brian Vickers led a group of professional NASCAR drivers to take the sprint cup at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon. Less than a week later, a group of men and women with absolutely no racing experience took to the same track, in the same six-hundred horsepower stock cars, in hopes of hitting the same high-octane speeds as the pros. The Richard Petty Driving Experience is a payed sports adventure that lets NASCAR fans get a taste of life in the fast lane… Producer Taylor Quimby was with them in Loudon last Friday, and brought us back this audio postcard.

This past weekend, thousands of people braved clogged roads and crowded parking lots to watch NASCAR racing at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon. But a small group of fans pitched tents in a grassy parking area for the duration.

Camping on track grounds has been going on for a long time, but this is only the second summer it’s been legal. Amanda Loder talked to some residents of this temporary village, and produced this audio postcard.

Last weekend was the first actual weekend of summer…an event barely noticed by many who’ve been barbequing, swimming and gardening since Memorial Day. Plenty of people do celebrate the longest day of the year in a more traditional way…and we’re talking traditions that stretch back thousands of years -- Carol and Clay Young hosted a fire ceremony to welcome in the solstice in the backwoods of Wentworth, New Hampshire, with a small, but diverse group of revelers. Word of Mouth’s Molly Donahue was there and brought us back this audio postcard.

Recently, the small town of New Boston, New Hampshire hosted an unusual 5k race, in which runners were chased by zombies or “walkers,” as they’re called in the popular comic book and TV series “The Walking Dead.” But fear not, all the gore was for a good cause, as independent producer Adam McCune found out when he sent us this audio postcard.

This year, Labor day weekend was a time not just to celebrate workers in America – but to celebrate… Elvis. Crowds of Elvis Fans attended a three day Elvis festival and competition in Manchester, cheering on twenty Elvis Tribute Artists as they vied for #1 – and a chance to go on to compete in the Ultimate Elvis Presley Tribute Artist Contest next August in Memphis, Tennessee.

New Hampshire’s White Mountains are known for their fierce terrain and wild weather. But atop the high peaks, there are some comforts.

Since 1888, the Appalachian Mountain Club’s high huts have provided hearty meals and a warm bunk for guests. Staff at the eight facilities carry up supplies, and also serve as educators and stewards of the alpine terrain.

To get a better feel for this unique summer job, we sent NHPR’s Todd Bookman up to the Greenleaf Hut.

Since everyone with a beating heart already "has rhythm!” anyone can drum. That could well be the motto of the drum-jam, held the first Friday of the month at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Concord.

It operates like a pick-up basketball game. Anyone who wants to sing the Messiah shows up at a concert hall with music in-hand. Tenors sit with tenors and sopranos with sopranos. And then -- without rehearsal -- the concert begins.

New Hampshire Public Radio correspondent Doug MacPherson attended one-such Messiah-sing at the Music Hall in Portsmouth.